Us against the world
by Mouse In The Corner
Summary: Dean took custody of Sam when he turned eighten. They moved away and never looked back. But it's only now that Sam's felt safe enough to do normal things, like watch sesame street. Things go fine until John decides he wants Sam back. AU. Hurt!Sam abounds.
1. Chapter 1

"What the heck are you watching, Sammy—sesame street? I can't believe this." Dean dropped his bookbags on the floor. 13-year-old Sam looked at him seriously. "Hey, I figured since I never had a normal childhood with Dad, I may as well start now." Shameless fluff. Dean and Sam talk.

--

"What the heck are you watching, Sammy—sesame street? I can't believe this." Dean dropped his bookbags on the floor. Raising a 13-year-old was hard work, especially for a 19-year-old college student. "You okay? Do I need to take you to the doc's?"

"You mean Bobby's?" Sam asked, looking at him and rolling his eyes. "No way, Dean. I'm fine."

"Then why are you watching Sesame Street?"

13-year-old Sam looked at him seriously. "Hey, I figured that since I never had a normal childhood with Dad, I may as well start now."

Dean ran his hand through his hair. He and Sam never really talked about their father's abandonment; it was something far more painful for Dean then for Sam—while John had always been a good father for Sam, he'd left Dean to raise himself. "Sam…"

"I didn't mean it that way, dude. Take a chill pill." Sam leaned back into the couch, drinking his coca-cola. It was way to much fun to mess with Dean like this, even though the unwritten rule was "Never, ever mention Dad." He wasn't trying to mess with Dean's emotional baggage—he'd learned from that experience. However, he'd learned of 'Sesame Street' at school, when some kid was talking about it, and realized he'd missed out on a great part of his childhood by never being able to watch it. "I think Barney's on next," he offered halfheartedly.

Dean suppressed a snort that came out more like a choked gag. "Sam, I've got my boss coming over in half an hour, an' I'm tryin' to cook dinner, an' you're watching sesame street?"

"You cook?"

"Hey, I heat up store-bought pizza pretty dang good," Dean replied with a smile as he stuck it in the oven. "Seriously, Sam, are you OK? I know Dad leavin' did a number on your head." After a fight with Dean one night, John left, leaving a custody note stating that Dean could raise Sammy.

And they hadn't seen John since. Not even Bobby had seen John. And the memory of John leaving was still fresh in Sam's mind—just as it was in Dean's. And ever since then, Sam had been acting weird, doing things that John had never let them. One of the things Sam had been doing lately was watching TV. Some of it was cartoons, some of it was little kids' shows, and some of it was congressional hearings. The kids' shows were what scared Dean the most. Sam brought home a straight A average that impressed all the teachers. He'd had more than one conference with a teacher, reassuring the teacher that he had no problems "raising a little genius".

"I'm okay." Sam shut off the TV and came into the kitchen, putting his elbows on the table, another thing that John hated. He slid into the chair. "I guess I'm just – I'm glad to be normal, Dean, don't get me wrong, but I miss Dad. Why? Why do I miss Dad after all he put me through?"

"Oh, Sam." Dean sighed as he, too, sat on the table. "It's hard to explain…"

"But you're a genius, Dean! You have to know," Sam replied, pounding his fist on the table.

"I don't understand everything, Sam—4.0's in school don't mean much to real life," Dean replied with a sigh. "Dad loved you, Sam. It was the liquor that took him away. He loves you so much…"

"What about you, Dean? Does Dad love you?" Sam asked, his eyes baring intently into Dean's.

Mentally cursing himself, Dean sighed. He should learn better than to get into talks like this with his younger brother. The true answer was that John didn't do so well at love, and he probably hated Dean, but always took care of Sam. It was something they both did. Dean was surprised that John hadn't token off with Sam the second he was 18 but was nonethess grateful that John had left the teenage boy with Dean. "Yeah, I think so," he lied, checking on the pizza. "Do me a favor and get dressed in some cleaner clothes, kiddo. I don't want my boss to think we live in rags." He reached over and turned the TV on to some news.

"Okay," Sam replied, getting up. The talk with Dean had satisfied him, if only for a bit. "Dean?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

--

Review!


	2. Chapter 2

It was seven thirty in the morning, and Dean was already awake. Sure, he was exhausted as hell, but Sam didn't need to know that. Sam was hyper as ever, bouncing up and down, telling Dean what they were going to do in school. For a fourteen year old, Sam had some pretty imaginative ideas. And some pretty kiddish ones, too. "Sam, I looked up Sesame Street last night. It is not for your age."

"I wanted to watch it because I've never seen it before," Sam protested angrily.

Dean sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Whatever strikes your fancy; Sam; just don't…"

"Don't what?"

"Do anything stupid," Dean finished lamely before he finished making Sam's waffles. "Sam, do me a favor, tell your principle if you see him I'm going to talk to him, okay?"

"Sure, why?" Sam questioned.

"Just trust me," Dean replied with a sigh. Truthfully, he'd gotten several calls from a very drunk John last night, and it scared him half to death. John had only beaten on Sammy twice, but it had been when he'd been drunk. Dean had scheduled _everything_ around Sam so that he didn't have to worry.

The fight that had sent John "running out of their lives" was a normal one. Dean protesting John's way of raising Sammy. John, furious, hit Dean, shoved him into the wall, and yelled that if he was so damn good, he should just get custody of Sam.

Dean had gone to the judge the next day, working out a file, which John surprisingly signed.

And then John took off, never to be seen again. Occasionally he would get drunken cell phone calls from John at one in the morning, slurring about something supernatural, but Dean just let Bobby handle it. _Thank God for Bobby, _he thought.

"He's coming back, isn't he? That's why you're so pissed at me!" The words flew out of Sam's mouth before he even knew what he was thinking, but in his heart he feared they were true: John was coming back.

Though John had only physically beaten Sam twice, the emotional abuse had left Sam shattered when Dean sued for custody. Dean had suffered more than he ever had, with physical beatings at least twice a week, more if he "screwed up", but Sam was more emotionally damaged.

"I am not pissed at you, Sam," Dean replied, running a hand through his hair. He was exhausted. He wished he could go back to sleep. Why the hell not? "If John tries to come back and pick you up, don't go with him, fight him like hell. Call me if you even spot him and I'll come pick you up."

"He's coming back?" Sam shouted, his voice terrified. "What do you mean?"

"Sam, I will not allow him to get custody again," Dean responded firmly, crossing his arms. "I just don't want you to walk off with him, okay?"

"Okay," Sam replied, but he was still very worried. "Why do you think he's going to come get me?"

"Just don't go with him if he shows up," Dean answered him. His voice sounded grouchy, so Sam backed off instantly. Dean's voice was in the tone of I've-just-had-a-fight-with-Dad-and-I-sure-as-hell-don't-need-you-adding-too-it.

"I won't," Sam replied numbly, but he was still upset. What wasn't Dean telling him?

"Dude, nice Impala you got," a voice complimented him. Sam turned around and faced David Jacobs, his only friend at school.

"Not mine," Sam grumbled, watching it drive off. "Brother's."

"Your brother drops you off to school? Damn! I wish mine would do that. Mine's hell-bent on destroying my self esteem." David grinned evily. "The eggs in his bed should show him."

Sam waved a hand in the boy's face. "Don't tell me," he grumbled.

"What's your problem this morning, dude? You seem pissed!"

"You seem pissed, too, man, stop with the swearing," Sam grumbled. Then he crossed his arms. "It's nothin'—dammit, what is he doing here?"

"Who?"

"My brother," Sam replied with a groan.

"What's wrong with your brother being here? Thought you liked having him drive you."

"It's not that I don't mind having him _drive_ me," Sam explained, "but he's in a bad mood this morning and said that he was going to talk to my principle, and I don't feel like having him deal with assault charges."

"Relax," David said with a grin. "The principle, I'm sure, has it all under control."

--

Dean was furious. "I said I want you to notify me if you _think_ you've seen him on the premises! You know _exactly _why I'm like this, too, so don't even blow me off!"

"Calm down, Dean," the principle ordered. "I'm not trying to blow you off, but having him arrested the second he steps on school property won't help matters."

"Yes, it will. He told me he's planning on kidnapping or suing for custody of Sam—isn't that threatening a minor!"

"Relax, Dean. I can't help you when you're in the state of panic, and it will not help Sam. Breathe."

"I know… I know… I know," Dean muttered, sinking down. "But I don't understand why you can't have extra police protection or _something_!"

"There's a cop who monitors weekly, I'll move him up to every day. I'll notify the local police department. But I don't want to make a big deal of this or it'll blow up. Do you really want the whole school to ask questions?"

"Not really," Dean grumbled angrily, but he was still upset.

"Okay. I know you're upset and I'll help any way I can, but we have to think of quality of life for the students _and _Sam, okay?"

"Yeah," Dean said, running a hand through his hair. "I guess."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sorry I haven't updated in forever. It's been pretty crazy around my place, plus my computer won't let me publish chapters. Anyhow, here you go, enjoy.

---

"I don't see why I can't claim custody," John protested, his arms crossed in front of the judge. "My seventeen year old son is raising him, isn't that worse than me? I have a steady job—"

"Mr. Winchester, are you serious in your protest?" the judge replied with a roll of his eyes. "Samuel's custody by Dean last year was granted by you. Your son is nineteen, by the way. If you want hope of gaining custody, I suggest you get both boy's ages straight," the man replied.

"He's _my _son!" John protested again, furiously. "Why can't I gain his custody?"

"I won't allow it, and before you think you can bullshit your way through another judge, think again—you won't, especially with this kind of attitude. I'm denying it. In fact, all your future parental rights are revoked."

"You can't do that!" John yelled angrily, feeling the gun in his pocket.

"Even if I can't, I know people who can," the judge replied with a smile. "You wouldn't believe how many people are doing desperate stunts…and how many are willing to make a quick buck," he added.

"You're a judge—and that's illegal!"

"I'm not actually going to do it, Mr. Winchester, but I am a judge who cares about your son's future well being. Best of luck," the judge added before dismissing his case.

--

Sam relaxed as he entered the door of his apartment, David in toe. David was eager to find out where Sam had been living. Sam was relieved that Dean hadn't beaten up the school principle to badly. "There might be something in the fridge," he replied with a grin. "Today's shopping day, and I don't know if Dean got anything."

"What's it like?" David asked, opening the fridge and grabbing a Dr. Pepper. "What's it like living with your brother? I think living with my brother would be hell…"

"It's great," Sam replied as he turned on the T.V. "You know, everyone tells me it should be weird – but considering the childhood we had, I'm damn grateful for it." He winced. "Hey, Dean."

"Sam, when did you take up swearing?" Dean responded with a tensed-out grin. "Sorry I wasn't there when you got there."

"That's what the cell phones are for, right?" Sam asked with a small smile. "What's wrong?"

"Um… maybe your friend could leave," Dean suggested. "We need to talk about a few things. Nice to meet you—"

"David," David said apologetically. "I'll take off. I need to get home anyway—"

"What's wrong, Dean?" Sam asked as David closed the apartment door. He leaned back. "What's really wrong?"

"You remember that I went to the principle's office this morning, right?"

"Yeah," Sam responded with a worried frown. "What's wrong?"

"Well…" Dean let out a breath. "Dammit, Sam. I'd hoped not to tell you this. I know he can't get custody of you, but—"

"Just tell me, Dean," Sam replied tiredly. "Is Dad back?"

"Dad's back. And he's trying to get custody of you."

"But he can't, right? I thought you had it set up so that he couldn't get custody of me—"

"I do, if he tries he can be arrested," Dean replied, "but I'm worried about him taking off with you in the middle of the night. If he comes in here, I want you to scream, do whatever, just don't let him take off with you."

"Maybe he's changed," Sam offered halfheartedly. He hated seeing Dean so upset.

"He'll change the day hell freezes over, Sam," Dean snapped. He leaned back and exhaled slowly. "I'm sorry, Sam, but for two years after his disappearance, you had nightmares every night! Do you really want to go back to that?"

"I know," Sam whispered tiredly. "Sometimes I just wish, though, you know? To have a normal life?"

"What do you call this?" Dean asked with a grin. "But I know what you're saying, Sammy. Come on, let's go get a pizza."

"A pizza? Can we have it without the anchovies this time?" Sam asked, and Dean grinned.

"Sure, kiddo, whatever you want, okay?" Dean asked with a bigger smile.

Just then the phone rang, and Dean swore to himself.

ONE MISSED CALL: JOHN WHINCHESTER

"Dammit," Dean whispered as he closed the door. He'd have to find some way to tell Sam they were moving. _John was back… _


End file.
